End support for core



, March 4, 1969 LEWIS-ET AL END SUPPORT FOR com:

Sheet Filed July 27, 1967 FIG.1

THREADED- INVENTORS ROBERT BEE LEWIS WILLIAM THOMAS DERRY ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 R. B. LEWIS HM 3 END SUPPORT FOR CORE Filed Jul 27, 1967 Sheet L of 2 FIG. 3

INVENTORS ROBERT BEE LEWIS WILLlAM THOMAS DERRY v ATTORNEY I United States Patent Ofi ice 3,430,888 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A chuck device and winding apparatus for winding sheets of material into roll form on tubular cores is presented wherein the chuck device includes nonlocking flexible spring release elements and engages the ends of the tubular cores for transmitting driving torque to the tubular cores.

The present invention relates to the winding of continuous webs or film structures and, more particularly, is directed to a novel device and apparatus for winding sheets or webs of material into roll form.

Sheets or webs of material are often wound into roll form on a tubular core. A typical example is the familiar roll of cellophane; indeed, wide sheets of cellophane in roll form are often unwound and slit into smaller sheets or strips which are rewound on smaller tubular cores. In such winding operations it is necessary to avoid damaging the ends of the cylindrical rolls of wound material. A widely used sheet or web slitting and winding machine is the Cameron Model 300- slitting and winding machine manufactured by the Cameron Machine Co., of Dover, N]. In this and similar machines the winding operation is performed by rotating a tubular core (usually of heavy duty paper construction) suitably rotatably secured at each end between opposed tubular core holding or securing members that are movable both toward and away from each other to accommodate therebetween tubular cores of different lengths. In this arrangement the tubular core member is held or supported at each end by chuck devices that are secured to each movable tubular core securing member. A separate chuck device securely engages each end of the tubular core which is easily rotated for winding the sheet material thereon by merely rotating the chuck device by any suitable means. Upon completion of the winding operation the tubular core securing members are moved apart to release the roll of wound material. Frequently, one of the chuck devices will remain attached to the tubular core member and prevent removal of the wound roll. Such malfunctions are obviously undesirable and any attempts heretofore to overcome this problem as by allowing a greater clearance between the chuck devices and the tubular core have been unsuccessful because causing difiiculty of operation and misalignment of the tubular core resulting in poor and often unacceptable roll formation. Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved device and apparatus for winding sheets or webs of material into roll form that are free of the abovementioned drawbacks.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood by the following description and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation view of a roll winding apparatus showing the roll member in cross section;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the chuck device of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view in the thickness direction of the device of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view in the thickness direction of a modification of the device of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic illustration in cross section showing the relative disposition of a tubular winding core and the device of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic illustration in cross section showing the engagement of a tubular winding core and the device of FIGURE 2.

The chuck device and winding apparatus herein disclosed in illustration of the invention includes opposed movable supports 10 and 11 that are movable toward and away from each other to accommodate therebetween a rotatable tubular core 12 on which may be wound sheet or web material to provide a roll 13 of wound material. The tubular core 12 is secured for rotation between supports 10 and 11 by means of chuck devices 14 and 15 that are each respectively secured to stub shafts 16 and 17 which are rotatably connected to supports 10 and 11, respectively. Preferably, one of the stub shaft members is connected to a screw-operated tensioning device such as 18 disposed in support 11 consisting of a threaded bolt 19 operatively disposed in threaded opening 20 having a lever or crank member 21. Thus, rotation of lever 21 clockwise advances threaded bolt 19 from left-to-right as shown in FIGURE 1 thus urging chuck device 15' firmly against tubular core 12 for firmly securing tubular core 12 between chucks 14 and 15. Any equivalent mechanical means are suitable such as the combination of a lever (corresponding to 21) automatically actuated by means of a pneumatic actuator in operative association therewith is suitable for adjusting chuck device 15 to engage or disengage tubular core 12, In operation, the chuck devices are rotated as, for example, by rotating stub shaft 16 by any suitable means such as a conventional chain and sprocket assembly. This in turn causes tubular core 12 to rotate for winding thereon any sheet or web material as may be desired.

The chuck device of the invention is shown more specifically in the exploded view of FIGURE 2 wherein chuck member 14 is shown as having a body portion 22, a spring element 23 and a retainer ring 24. The retainer ring 24 is adapted to hold and maintain spring 23 firmly secured to chuck body 19 by means of suitable machine screws 25 passing through openings 26 in retainer ring 24 and openings 27 (aligned with openings 26) in spring 23 and which are secured in threaded openings 28 of chuck body 22. The retainer ring 24 is preferably provided with a circular raised boss portion 29 for engagement with opening 30 in spring 23 and circular recessed portion 31 of chuck body 22. The chuck body 22 is also provided with a keyway or slot 32 adapted to engage a key element of stub shaft 16 adapted to extend into circular opening 33 of chuck body 22 for coupling the chuck body and the stub shaft so that the chuck body may be rotated in direct response to rotation of stub shaft 16.

The spring member 23 of the chuck device of the present invention is of any suitable flexible material preferably spring steel, beryllium copper and Phosphor bronze and is of generally circular configuration having a plurality of tab elements 34 extending radially outwardly from the central protion 35 thereof around the entire periphery thereof. The tab elements 34 are especially characterized by deflected end tips 36 which are deflected between about 20 and about 30 out of the radial plane of the spring central body portion 35. The end tips 36 of the spring tabs 34 are deflected towards the chuck body 22 and the general arrangement and association of parts and structural features is more clearly depicted in FIG- URE 3. Referring to FIGURE 3, it is seen therefrom that the deflected tab'portions 36 extend into annular recess or channel 37 provided adjacent the periphery of chuck body 22. FIGURE 4 is substantially identical to FIGURE 3 except that it depicts the outer peripheral portion of chuck body 22 as comprising a peripheral flange portion 38 having an annular seat or face 39 for accommodating an annular driving face plate 40 which may be secured to peripheral flange 38 by any suitable means such as roll pins 41. The driving face plate 40 provides a removable element which may be easily replaced when worn without having to replace an entire chuck body 22. The chuck element 15 depicted in FIGURE 1 may be identical to chuck element 14 that is described in detail hereinabove, or may be substantially identical thereto except not having a keyway such as 32.

The cooperative relation and association of the chuck devices 14 and 15 and tubular core 12 is more clearly depicted in FIGURES and 6. Referring to FIGURE 5, chuck devices 14 and 15 are shown in position immediately prior to engagement with tubular core 12. As shown in FIGURE 5, the tabs 34 of spring 23 do not contact the ends 42 and 43 of tubular core 12. The same elements in cooperative engagement are shown in FIGURE 6. In this view the tabs 34 of spring 23 are in contacting engagement with the inner edge of ends 42 and 43 of tubular core 12; in fact, the tabs 34 have been deflected by ends 42 and 43 of tubular core 12 within annular recess 37 of chuck body 22.

Thus, referring again to FIGURE 1, clamping or tensioning device 18 urges stub shaft 17 in the axial direction toward tubular core 12 for compressing the springs 23 of chucks 14 and 15 through an arc toward the axis thereof causing the tubular core 12 to be properly centered on the winding chucks. Further, the compression of the springs 23 of the chuck devices accommodates or allows for the normal variation of the inside diameter of the tubular core elements. Upon retracting chuck 15 by releasing tensioning or clamping device 18, the axial forces on the tubular core element are removed and unchucking occurs due to the weight of the wound roll of material acting upon the tapered surface of each spring element of the chuck devices, thus allowing the wound roll to free itself for manual or automatic conveyance from the winding apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a chuck .4 adapted for connection to a rotatable shaft, said chuck having:

a body portion of circular configuration provided with a peripheral flange extending completely therearound and outwardly therefrom and an annular recess between said peripheral flange and said body, and

a spring of circular configuration having a plurality of flexible tabs extending radially outwardly therefrom around the entire periphery thereof, said flexible tabs adapted to be deflected within the annular recess of said chuck body when in engagement with a tubular winding core.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said flexible tabs are characterized by deflected end tips which are deflected between about 20 and about 30 out of the radial plane of said circular spring and towards said annular recess in said chuck body.

3. In an apparatus for winding sheets of material into roll form on tubular winding cores comprising spaced movable supports adapted to accommodate therebetween a rotatable tubular core; rotatable chuck means connected to said movable supports for engaging the ends of said tubular core to support and rotate said tubular core, in association with means for rotating said rotatable chuck means, the improvement wherein said chuck means comprises:

a body portion of circular configuration provided with a peripheral flange extending completely therearound and outwardly therefrom and an annular recess between said peripheral flange and said body, and

a spring of circular configuration having a plurality of flexible tabs extending radially outwardly therefrom around the entire periphery thereof, said flexible tabs adapted to be deflected within the annular recess of said chuck body when in engagement with a tubular winding core.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said flexible tabs of said chuck are characterized by deflected end tips which are deflected between about 20 and about 30 out of the radial plane of said circular spring and toward said annular recess in said chuck body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,515,382 11/1924 Cheesman 242--68.4 3,051,408 8/1962 Finch 242-754 NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner. 

